Crank paddle for boats



`lune 14, 1960 F. SCHWARZER CRANK PADDLE FOR BOATS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 29, 1959 BATTERY (VL INVENTOR.

SC. HWAEI E' E FEED ATTOQNEY June 14, 1960 F. sczHwARzER cRANx PADDLE FOR BOATS 5 Sheens-Shee'fl 2 Filed Jan. 29, 1959 INVENTOR. scHwAlz'zEE P'EED ATTOR NSY June 14, 1960 F. scHwARzER 2,940,415

CRANK PADDLE FOR BOATS Filed Jan. 29, 1959 s sheets-sheet s 9 e4 JNVENroR.

CEEYD SCHWAE'LEE l A-rToQNEY CRANK PADDLE FOR BOATS Fred Schwarzer, Rte. 18, Pottstown, Pa.

Filed Jan. 29, 1959, Ser. No. 789,888

7 Claims. (Cl. 11S-67) This invention relates to a boat propulsion means and particularly to such means wherein the boat propelling means partake of true vertical movements with respect to the water surface upon which the boat is to travel, and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

lt is the cardinal object of the invention to provide a boat propelling means wherein the propelling means under operation, enter and leave the water surface in a vertical path, thus eliminating churning and splashing of the water as is common in the present day rotary type propellers.

More specically, it is an object of the invention to provide a boat propelling means wherein the propelling members are operatively mounted upon a support frame which may be readily secured upon a water craft, the propelling means being so constructed as to enter and leave the surface of the water in true vertical paths and in which the supporting frame for the propelling means is oscillatably mounted in a horizontal plane for Steerage of the water craft, and said supporting frame also being mounted for movement from an operative position in the water to an inoperative position within the water craft.

It is also an important object of the invention to provide a water craftpropulsion means which may be electrically or manually actuated, the power from its source being transmitted to the propelling means either through gearing, V-pulleys and belts, thus enabling the propelling means to be employed in motivating toy boats, huntsmens and shermens boats or otherwise.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figure l is a fragmentary top plan view of a boat having the propelling means installed, illustrating the power means as being an electric motor, the control of which is illustrated diagrammatically.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section thiough a boat, illustrating a pedal actuated means for activating the propulsion means.

Figure 7 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a boat illustrating a further form of manual operation for propelling a boat, and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary cross section on the line 9-9 of Figure 8.

In the drawings, the reference character 10 designates the boat generally, which may be constructed from any i ted States Patent O Patented June 14, 1960 ice suitable materials and of the required specications as to construction, size or other requirements as found necessary.

Attention is now invited to Figures l and 2 of the drawings, wherein the power propulsion means is shown as an electric motor 11 mounted upon the floor or bottom wall 12 of the boat, the motor being longitudinally adjustable with respect to a drive pulley 13 on the driven shaft of the motor and a driven pulley 14 associated with the propulsion means presently to be described.

A mounting plate 15 is secured upon the upper edge of the stern 16 of the boat, by suitable screws or other fasteners, as best seen in Figure l, the plate 15 being located medially of the longitudinal axis of the boat and has a semi-circular opening 17 formed therein. A transverse bar 18 integral with the opposed side walls of the opening 17 has a bearing opening 19 positioned axially of the semi-circular opening 17 lfor oscillatably mounting a yoke 20. The yoke 20 comprises a fiat base 21 having upright spaced legs 22, the base having an opening 23 aligned with the opening 19 of the bar 18 and through these openings a pivot bolt 24 is secured. It should be noted that the base 21 is seated upon the bar 18 and that the yoke 20 is of such proportions as to be freely oscillatable within the semi-circular opening 17 for a purpose as will be presently apparent.

The propulsion means for the boat is generally indicated at 25 and comprises a pair of parallel spaced elongated frame members 26 integrally connected by a top wall 27 which is located intermediate the length of the frame members. The frame members 26 are down wardly inclined with respect to the forward end 28 thereof and the lower edges 29 of the frame members are disposed horizontally with respect to the mounting plate 15 adapted to ride upon a semi-circular track 30 formed upon the upper face of the plate 15, for a purpose as will presently appear.

Each of the frame members 26 at the rear end are provided with a vertical extension 31, the extensions being in opposed parallel relation and terminate in upper bearings 32 and lower bearings 33. KIn the upper bearings 32 a shaft 34 is journalled and mounts a gear 35 which is keyed to the shaft and is positioned adjacent one of the frame members 26 and held in such position by means of a hub 36 on the gear which engages the opposite frame member 26. in the lower bearings 33 a shaft 37 isl journalled for similarly mounting a gear 3S. Between the frame members 25 there are revolubly mounted respective gears 39, 49, 41 and 42 in meshed engagement, but the gear 39 is additionally in mesh between gears 35 and 33. The gear 42 is mounted upon a shaft 43, as clearly shown in Figure 3, the gear including a V-pulley 44 formed integrally with the gear 42. From a further consideration of Figure 3, in conjunction with Figures l and 2, it will be seen that the shaft 43 is mounted in the upright legs 22 of the yoke 20 and also mounts the arms 45 of a tiller 46; and further that the forward ends 28 of the frame members 26 are pivotally mounted upon the shaft 43, the gear 42 and pulley 44 being disposed between respective frame members.

The pulley 14 is of dual formation and is rotatably mounted in a yoke 47, Ithe latter being secured upon the -oor or bottom of the boat, the pulley 14 being driven by a belt 48 from the pulley 13 of the motor, while rpulley 14 is aligned with the pulley 44 which is driven the 'meer ends or the ieifers so and so' being farmedY for reception of a bearing pin 51 for pivotally mounting an arm 52, the lever 50 being pivotally connected .to tlleupnerv end of the. arm 5,2, -vrhilethe ,lyerll is 'pivotally ,connected te .thearm 52 at aippint abQYefhe 'scoop-like paddle 53 secured tof the lower end ofthe e Y l. i1 ,n.- ,A i Thus itV will be Aseen that'upon rotationof thegear trainV asrdesciibed, a straight upward and kdownward movement of the paddles Y53 will beeiiected, eliminating churning and splashing of the water, and it .will alsobe noted that steering of the boat may bepeiected through actuation of the tiller26 to oscillatethe'propulsion means upon thepivotbolt24.Y ,A u, y

Obviously, various .power means may be employed to actuate the gear train shown, and that illustrateljlige ure 1 has been found Yhighlyrprractical intheoperati/on of mote control. Such controls, aswell understood, comprise Va Vcase (not shown) for housing dry cells 54 anda control switch 55 which are in circuit Vwith the motorll. im

` VVKIn Figures 6 to9, manual Vmeans are employed and this mode of operation Yhas been especially designednforV propul- 'sion of row boats, canoesV and the Ylike and would appeal to Sportsmen, such as fishermen and hunters, where a quiet propulsion ofthe craft vmay` be desired, and obviously would be appealing toY those who would use theeboat as a Y' The front legs V57 of the frame structure are provided withparallel bearing plates 61 between which'the hub 62 toy boats, the boatfhaving been steeredbyY any suitable remeans of exercise and recreation. Y Y

Referring in detail to Figures 6 and 7, a tubular frame of'a pedal crank 63 is mounted, the hub having a V-pulley Y.

64 aligned with a V-pulley 65 of dualV formation and keyed to a shaft 66 Yrotatably supported betweenV brackets 67 connected between respective portions 59, and rear legs 58 of the frame structure.V A'V-belt 68 is trained about`the sion means 25'; and the nal drive to the paddles 53'. is by way of a'V-belt 71 trained about the other pulley of the dual assembly 70 and a V-pulley keyed to the shaft 72 which likewise supports gear 39 which is in mesh with gears 35 and 38. Guide pulleys 73 are provided for support of respective reaches of the belt 71. Y t

In the drive shown inV Figures 8 and'9,the operator assumes a standing position and to this end the frame structure 74 has an elevated rear support 75 for the propulsion means 25" and a lower forward support 76 Vwhich consists of a pair of parallel members 77, `each of which are formed with an upper bearing 78 and lower'bearing 79. Between thel upper bearings a crank shaft V80 for support of aY V-pulley Slis rotatablypmounted, the ends of the crank shaft being engaged in respective slots 82V formed in a pair of spacedy upright actuating'handles 83, the lower Y' ends of which are oscillatablyrnounted uponashaft 84.

movable to operative position within the water Vand is also.'

movableito'an'inoperative position'within the boat, as indicated in dotted linesin Figure 2.

Y While I have shown and describedpr'e'ferred formsfoff the propulsionmeans, Vthis is by Way of illustrationonly;

I'consid'er asmy'own all Sllhmdihations com.

- boat and operatively connected to Vthelinnermost vpower struction as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims. t t I claim:

1. In a propulsion means for boats comprising a frame member, a series of interconnected power transmitting means carried by the ame, a pair of said power transmitting means being positioned in a vertical plane one above the other with rspeet o^the body of water upon which the boat is to be propelled, a pair of levers operatively connected to said pair of power transmitting means at opposite sides of thelframe, a paddle memberV connected to the lower end ofan arm connected betweenthe pair of levers upon respective'sides of said pair of power transmitting means, means Afori-motivating the power transmitting means, and said frame member being mounted upon the boat for horizontal oscillatory movements and having means for so oscillating the frame member.

2. Thel structure of 'claim 1, wherein said frame member is further pivotally mounted for movement from the ybody of water into a position the boat..

3.` In a propulsion means Vfor boatscomprising a Yframe member having means Vfor securement to a b oatand having oscillatory,movements in a horizontal plane, al series of interconnected power'transmitting means carried byl respect tothe body of Water upon'whichV the boat is to be propelled and having respective shafts projecting 'beyond the sides ofthe frame, a'lever' connected tore'spective ends of the shafts, the levers on each shaft being extended inopposite directions at right'angles., to eachother, an arm vconnected to the levers atV respectiveends of the shafts, Water engaging paddles on the lower ends of said arms and means for motivating said power transmitting means. Y r'4; In a propulsion means forl toy boats comprising a frame member havingY means for'ksecurement to the stern portion of a boat, vsaid means Vhaving oscillatory movements in a horizontal plane, a series of interconnected power transmitting meansV carried'by the framea pair of said power transmitting means being positioned in a vertical plane, one above the other with respect to'the body of water upon which the boat is vto be propelled, said pair of Vpower transmitting means having respective shafts projecting upon opposite sides of the-frame,a lever connected to respective ends of the shafts, the levers on'each shaft being Vextended in opposite directionsv at right-angles to each other, anr arm connected to Ythe'levers at respective ends of the Shafts, water engaging paddles onthe lower ends ofV said arms,1an electric motor mountedv Within the boatV including means for motivating said interconnected power transmittingnaearisY and remotev Vcontrol means for said motor. f

5. In 'a propulsion means for'boat's', aY frame member comprising a'pair of parallel side members having opposed upright extensions Yat the rear end thereof and a yoke member at the front end of said side members for oscillatably mounting the frame vmember upona boat "and positioning said rear end exteriorly of the boat, interconnected power transmitting means rotatably supported be' tween said side members, a pair of said transmitting means being positioned adjacent the upper and lowerfends of said upright extensionsjsaid pair of powerftfansmitting means Vhaving respective shafts projecting upon opposite sides of the uprightextensions, a lever connected to respective ends of the shafts, the levers on each-shaftbeing extended in opposite directions at rightr'angles'fto.V each other, an arm connected to the; levers; at respective *Vends of the `shaftsgwater engagingpaddlesfon the lower Y ends of saidarm's, and `manualoperating means within the transmitting means.

` 6. The structure of claimi5i,rinyvhichthemanual oper-t ating means comprisesa seatwithiuthekboatforthe opera- 5 tor and a pedal drive to said innermost power transmitting means.

7. The structure of claim 5, in which the manual operating means comprises oscillatable levers mounted within the boat and operatively connected to a pulley for rotating the same and belts and pulley members connected with means.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain July 28, 1904 

